Welcome Back Bert

Richie Barnes

10/29/2008

This past weekend, Florida State was able to beat a very good Virginia Tech team without one of their top playmakers on offense. Redshirt freshman Bert Reed was suspended for the game due to violating the athletic department's class attendance policy. This week he returns are is looking forward to getting back on the field as the #15 Seminoles travel to Bobby Dodd Stadium to take on Georgia Tech.

Bert Reed has not sat out a game since his first year on campus when he was forced to take a redshirt. Even then, he was able to be with his team while they were playing on Saturday's. This weekend was different when the suspended receiver was forced to miss the biggest game to date on the Seminoles' schedule.

"The whole week I tried to prepare myself for it," Reed said of his suspension. "I hadn't missed a game since elementary school probably. It really hit me Friday night when the team was in Thomasville and I was here still."

Although a suspended game is a tough price to pay, especially when it is against a team that beat the 'Noles by 19 points last year, Reed said it helped open his eyes on how good he really does have it as a student athlete at Florida State University.

"It was my fault that I didn't play," the redshirt freshman said. "It was something that I could have controlled and didn't. It really gave me a respect again for the guys who were playing and even the fans in the stands. It made me realize how much they support us and how important they are to us."

With his suspension served, Reed's focus is back to business this week. The team is working hard to prepare for a much improved Georgia Tech team. The Yellow Jackets have been getting off to fast starts almost every week this season and will look to do the same this weekend while FSU will do their best to counter it.

"Coach is stressing that this week," Reed said of the importance of stopping Georgia Tech from the start of the game. "We haven't been getting off to a great start in the first quarter and second quarter. But we're going to try to get off to a good start this week. Georgia Tech is a good team and we know we've got to do something when we get the ball because we probably won't have that many possessions with that offense."

Although Reed sat out of the game last weekend, the 'Noles were still able to come away with a win and had a surprising jump from number 25 to number 15 in the latest BCS standings. With the Florida State Seminoles being such a young team, it can be difficult to not get caught up in the polls, but Reed says Jimbo Fisher is keeping the team focused.

"With a coach like Coach Fisher, he won't let us get caught up in all that. He makes sure that we all realize there are still a lot of things that we could be doing right that we are still doing wrong. We still have a lot of room for growth and that pushes us to get better each and every week."

In addition to such a large jump in the polls, Florida State received more good news this weekend when they got word that Wake Forest was defeated by Miami. The loss by the Demon Deacons opened the door once again for Florida State to control their own destiny in the race for the ACC Championship.

"It's a great opportunity for this team. I think we realize how important it is for us to know we control our own destiny again and we need to seize the day."